I am in the process of roughing out plans to convert button-head soft-grease fittings mounted on the drive boxes of a steam locomotive to flexible lines run to a central grease manifold accessible from outside the frame (the current location requires some gymnastics to get to). The lines will be adjacent to the ash pan, so they will be exposed to occasional abrasion, heat, and of course movement.

I would be curious if anyone has experience implementing a similar modification, what materials were used, and how they held up?

Thanks!

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You might have a local source but these guys do custom hose and are easy to work with.

https://www.discounthydraulichose.com/R14-05-ASB.html

1/4 ID, 450F, 3000 PSI, stainless braid cover

They have as small as 1/8 and as large as too large for you, and if you don't like that hose they have basically all the other hoses being made. 1/8 might be fine but keep in mind the longer the distance, the higher the backpressure will be, and this is grease....

Heavy Equipment often uses flexible grease lines, usually made from 1/4” poly lines rated at 3000 psi or higher. Try Valley Hydraulic Service in South Elgin, IL 847-931-1808. They’ll make them in any length. Normally they have 1/4” threaded ends, fixed or swivel. They also sell Grease zerks & fittings.

I would use 1/4" hydraulic lines. They are commonplace, can be sourced locally, mates with a wide array of easily available fittings and should one get chopped off, the mechanic can run down the street to the local hydraulic hose shop to get a replacement.

Usually places such as Discount Hydraulic Hose are going to be cheaper if you are buying an entire set for a locomotive.

Why soft grease? Did Baldwin, Alco or Lima build any locomotives to use soft grease on driving boxes?

Soft grease was quite commonly used on hub liners, shoes, wedges, furnace bearers, spring rigging pins and bushings, plus valve gear and some other motion parts.

Howard P.

Soft grease and the associated tools and fittings are easily available at almost any hardware store, and is more appropriate for many applications. Getting your hands on an alemite gun or *quality* hard grease cakes/sticks is notoriously difficult, and getting more so every year (Not to mention messy). The last 20 years has seen a trend getting away from it, with either soft grease or oil lubrication.

There are still many groups/operations that are persevering with hard grease, and I applaud and support their efforts for preserving that historically-prevalent method. There's nothing like using an pneumatic grease gun to push hard grease into rods.

-Sam